Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (1943-2008)

Subject: Obit: Judy Hancock one half of Sad Pig
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 07:25 PM

I received this from Flossie Malavialle and with her permission I am posting it on Mudcat. Apologies if this is duplicated.

Obit: Judy Hancock (1943-2008)one half of Sad Pig

It is with great sadness that I have to report Judy's untimely death. She passed away on January 18th after being on a life support machine at Hope Hospital near Manchester. Judy suffered a massive brain haemorrhage on stage at Porkies Folk Club on Friday 4th January. She never recovered. As she was an organ donor, some of these were removed after she passed away.
Judy sang all her life and was a member of the Cheshire Folk Group "Peakfolk". After that came her collaboration with Dave Hughes, forming Sad Pig, which lasted for 25 years up to her death.
Judy and Dave ran Porkies Folk Club for a similar length of time and resurrected Poynton Folk Festival. Both will live on as Dave Hughes and Dave Hancock (Judy's husband) feel that's what Judy would want too.
Sad Pig will be well known to the Darlington Spring Thing audiences, as they appeared there for the last 10 years. Everybody will remember Judy's wonderful voice, her ability to connect with her audiences as well as her modesty. She was always willing to encourage young singers and give them as much support and advice as she could.
Judy will be sadly missed. Her audience were the last thing she saw and we can only take comfort in the fact that she passed away doing the thing she loved the most: singing.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Judy's and Dave Hughes's families.
For funeral details, please contact Tom Hughes on 01325 261179

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock one half of Sad Pig
From: Bernard
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 08:05 PM

Monday January 28th, 11:45 at St. Bartholomew's, Church Street, Wilmslow.

No flowers, donations please.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock one half of Sad Pig
From: nutty
Date: 23 Jan 08 - 04:12 AM

So SAD TO HEAR THIS. I met Judy each year at the Spring Thing and will sorely miss her this year.
Condolences to Dave and her family.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock one half of Sad Pig
From: sapper82
Date: 23 Jan 08 - 04:38 AM

Oh bugger!! Another one of whom I've heard a good amount but never got to see now gone.
My sympathy to all her friends and relatives.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST,Helen and Dave Howard
Date: 03 Feb 08 - 05:31 PM

So very sad and shocked to hear of Judy's passing. As one time organisers of Porkies, we send our love and condolances to Dave and to her family. Also to Dave Hughes and family.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: paula t
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 07:00 PM

A huge shock.
Stuart and I met Judy on a number of occasions in the eighties and nineties when we were singing in the cheshire area. We played at one of their "Porkies on the lawn" gigs. Judy had the most fabulous warm voice.She was very encouraging and supportive to us. God bless, Judy.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: Bernard
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 02:46 PM

The church was packed - around 300 people by my reckoning.

Dave Hughes sang 'Postcards from Cornwall' and Fiona Simpson sang 'Amazing Grace'. Both managed to hang on to their composure wonderfully well; I've been in a similar situation far too frequently over the past few years, so I understand how it may have felt.

Clearly she was well loved and will be sorely missed.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST,avril and kath
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 05:46 PM

It's now september and still miss her so very much.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 04:56 AM

I hadn't heard of this previously.

My condolences to Dave Hancock and to Dave Hughes. May she come to the Blessed Realms.

Bryn Pugh

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 0
From: le cheffie
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 10:45 AM

This is the first time I found out of this sad passing. I knew Judy from the Spring Thing.
My belated condolences to Dave and also to the Hughes family

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST,Paul and Liz Davies
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 04:01 PM

We were just looking for dates for this year's Poynton festival as we haven't been to the festival (much to our shame) since Dougie Maclean. We were really shocked to hear this news. Our Sad Pig cds are much prized possessions but there was more to Judy than just a great voice and a great musician. When we met her it was as if we had known her for years - an open heart and a caring one too but with a lovely sense of humour. I can remember her now introducing herself and Dave as Sad Pig and saying firmly that she was the "Sad" one.

Please pass on our condolences to her family. Unfortunately, none of us can live forever but I suspect Judy lived her life to the full and made friends wherever she went - so a life to be celebrated and to be thankful for.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: Bernard
Date: 29 Mar 09 - 07:52 PM

The Woodford Festival, which was Poynton Festival under a new name, has been put on hold this year (2009).

Keep your eye on the website for further developments.

I must stress that Judy's passing has no bearing on this whatsoever, it's purely for financial reasons.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST,ed and sue mayo
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 04:35 PM

Very belatedly hearing the sad news about Judy's death. What warm and precious memories we have of her friendliness and hospitality and of course her wonderful voice. She sang 'Who knows where the time goes' for us once - enchanting and poignant. We treasure our Sad Pigs albums and especially love 'Rydal' which we played all round the Lake District one wonderful weekend! She'll be badly missed by all who knew her. Very special love to Dave and to Dave and Jean too.
Ed and Sue Mayo

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 12 - 07:21 PM

I have treasured a copied tape of 'Pigs In A Spin' for twenty two years and am gutted to know that I'll never hear Judy's wonderful voice live. I'd just like to add my belated condolences to her friends and family and I'm grateful to have been touched by her music. If anyone know's where I can buy any more of Sad Pigs' albums I'd love to hear from them. ([e-mail]) Judy, thank you for Valentino, it's the first song that I've made new friends listen to for the last 22 years. My deepest condolences.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 07 Jan 12 - 03:11 PM

I think two Sad Pig albums are available on CD from Dave (the other half of Sad Pig). Contact details :

Porkies Folk Club / Contact page

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (18 Jan 08)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 11:54 AM

Oh no just found out about Judy's death. I was a massive Sad Pig fan & they were the guest artists at my 40th birthday party in 1999. I was looking for the lyrics to "Valentino" which Judy sang so beautifully. Sleep well lovely lady & my belated condolences to family & friends xx

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (1943-2008)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 01:21 PM

I found an instrumental piece called "Sad Pig Dance," but no recordings by Sad Pig. Can anybody give us link to them?

Here's the dance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsZCdUOsUSI

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (1943-2008)
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 02:28 PM

I don’t think there’s any connection with Sad Pig Dance and Sad Pig the band.

The band was a guitar and vocal outfit - four, then three and finally two piece and hailed from the South Manchester area. The band did record but I don’t think the recordings were published as such but simply sold to audiences.

As the o/p says, Judy was originally a member of the Peak-folk (in those days she was known as Judy Aucott) and they ran a regular club in Buxton Derbyshire. In real life, she was a college lecturer in hotel management and latterly ran a drapery shop.

I suspect that there’s another thread somewhere.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (1943-2008)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 06 Nov 21 - 12:11 PM

I missed this back when we were originally setting the "In Memoriam" thread. With apologies Judy has now received her place in the thread. RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (1943-2008)
From: GUEST,JHW had to delete cookie for the ads to let
Date: 08 Nov 21 - 02:16 PM

Of course we lost Tom Hughes too, a while back and The Spring Thing. If we had obits for festivals and clubs it would be a long read.

Subject: RE: Obit: Judy Hancock - half of Sad Pig (1943-2008)
From: GUEST,Guest Gillie
Date: 04 Jan 22 - 05:44 PM

Many thanks to James Hughes for the info on Sad Pig given tonight. It's been passed on to Liz. Raising a glass again, too many taken too
soon.